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NEWS | Edinburgh Awards 2017/18

The club held its annual end of season awards dinner on Monday night where the players, coaches, staff and their partners gathered to celebrate Edinburgh’s ground-breaking year.

In a season in which the squad qualified for the Guinness PRO14 Final Series for the first time in the club’s history, reached a European Quarter-Final, while recording the joint most wins in the league (15), there were plenty of positives to reflect on following a hectic eight-month period.

The hard work of Edinburgh’s leavers was also recognised during the evening, where every departing player was presented with a gift to commemorate their time with the club.

The first prize of the evening went to Luke Crosbie, who picked up the Young Player of the Year following a breakout season. The back-row finished the year with 12 appearances, scoring three tries - including a memorable solo effort against London Irish in which the 21-year-old manhandled his way through three defenders.

Club captain Fraser McKenzie picked up the next award, the Ironman prize, given to the squad’s hardest trainer. The second-row has worked tirelessly on both the training field and in the gym, and he was rightfully rewarded for his hard work and toil.

Winger Duhan van der Merwe, unsurprisingly, took home the Best Newcomer award. After making a return from injury against the Cheetahs in November, the South African has been in sparkling form, finishing the season with 10 tries in 18 games. Van der Merwe also recorded the most defenders beaten in the Guinness PRO14, with 73 in total.

Next up was the Most Improved player and Player’s Player of the Year – both going to Blair Kinghorn. The fullback has been irresistible in attack this season, finishing with the most metres gained in the Guinness PRO14, whilst the 21-year-old made his full international debut against England during February’s 6 Nations.

Stuart McInally picked up the final award of the evening: Edinburgh’s Player of the Year. The prize was just reward for a stellar season in which McInally cemented himself as one northern hemisphere rugby’s best hookers.